The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to electrical connectors for improving the connection between a current carrying wire and a `banana` type connector and especially between large-sized wire cables used in high power audio systems and the `banana` type sockets found on many loudspeakers, amplifiers, and related equipment used in audio systems.
In entertainment-type audio systems, including systems used in the home and in commerical environments, the loudspeakers have traditionally been connected to the audio amplifier through loudspeaker wires with the actual connection between the end of the wires and the loudspeaker and the amplifier effected through various types of electrical connecting devices. Historically, these connecting devices have included a `banana` type jack and socket arrangement in which the socket includes a smooth internal bore that receives the male connecting pin of the cooperating jack. The pin is usually designed to resiliently expand in the radial direction to resiliently engage the interior bore of the threaded sleeve. In this type of expanded pin design, the quality of the resulting electrical connection is a function, in part, of the outward resilience of the pin. One problem that is associated with this type of design is the loss of resilience of the pin due to mechanical fatigue and heating caused by high current loads, which results in a lower quality interconnection between the pin and the socket. In extreme cases, the inter-engagement between the male pin and its socket can be so poor that the electrical connection becomes intermittent. In spite of these drawbacks, `banana` type sockets have generally been satisfactory for their intended purpose since their plug-in design makes them convenient to use.
In recent years, there has been a tendency in home and commercial audio entertainment systems to vastly increase the power level delivered to the loudspeakers. These higher power systems have included amplifiers adapted to provide several hundred watts of power to loudspeakers capable of handling those power levels. It has been recognized in these powerful systems that losses can be encountered in the traditionally used loudspeaker wire. In response to this realization, these higher power systems have used larger capacity wire cables to deliver the audio energy from the amplifiers to the loudspeakers. However, since the traditional interconnection between the larger capacity speaker wire and the loudspeaker and/or amplifiers is still generally limited to the traditional `banana` type plug and jack arrangement, in these relatively high power systems it can be appreciated that the above problems associated with these arrangements are severely compounded. Accordingly, there is a need for a more reliable and audio-power efficient interconnection between high capacity speaker wires used in high power audio systems and the `banana` type sockets traditionally used on the vast majority of existing loudspeakers and audio amplifiers.